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Some popular and quirky food combinations just don't seem right when you first think about them. I used to put fried chicken and waffles on that list.

Every time I see it on a menu, I wonder: Why on earth would you pair savoury, juicy chicken, something you might serve for dinner with coleslaw, with an item often bathed in syrup and butter and served for breakfast?

Fried chicken is also associated with the Southern U.S., waffles a European thing, so how did they end up on the same plate?

Someone obviously thought it was a good idea, and it caught on. Now all around North America, diners, food trucks, chain restaurants and even some fine dining establishments offer fried chicken and waffles.

The waffle batter is easy to make and cooks in minutes. With regard to the chicken, rather than completely cooking it in the oil on the stovetop, I've offered a technique where it's cooked a short while in the oil to set the coating, and then finished in the oven. This allows you to prepare a 12-piece batch of chicken without having to fire up multiple skillets on your stovetop to cook them.

RECIPES

Waffles

Makes: 8 4-by-4-inch waffles

The waffle iron used for this recipe was a four-slot one that makes about 1-inch thick, 4-by-4-inch waffles. You can, of course, use any waffle iron to make them but, depending on it's size, you may end up with more or less waffles, and/or have to cook more than two batches.

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 large eggs

1 3/4 cups milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Vegetable oil spray

Place the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a bowl and whisk to combine. Place the eggs, milk and vanilla in a second bowl and beat to combine. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined (do not over-mix or the waffles will be tough).

Preheat the oven to 200 F. Preheat your waffle iron. (My waffle iron has a setting range of 1 to 5, and I had it set at 3 1/2.) When the waffle iron is hot, spray the cooking surface with vegetable spray. Spoon 1/3 to 1/2 cup of batter into each waffle slot, spreading the batter so it reaches the corners. Close the iron and cook the waffles about 3 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through. Set the cooked waffles on a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven until the rest are cooked. Serve waffles with the chicken as noted below.

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Fried and Baked Chicken

Makes: 4 to 6 (2-to 3-piece) servings

To cook 12 pieces of chicken without them absorbing too much oil, in this recipe, it's quickly fried in batches until the coating is set, then cooked through in the oven.

Make flour coating mixture by combining the first 10 ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Cover and set aside until needed.

Combine the buttermilk, egg and hot sauce in a second bowl large enough to hold the chicken. Add the chicken and turn to coat. Cover, refrigerate and marinate the chicken, turning occasionally, for 4 to 8 hours, or, if time allows, overnight.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove chicken from the refrigerator and uncover. Uncover the flour mixture.

Remove a piece of the chicken from the buttermilk mixture, let the excess drip away, and then set in the flour mixture. Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture. Set chicken on the baking sheet. Coat the remaining pieces of chicken in this manner, ensuring they do not touch when set on the baking sheet. Let chicken sit 15 minutes to allow the flour mixture to set.

Set a baking rack over a second parchment paper-lined baking sheet and set aside. Heat the oil in your deep fryer until it reaches 350 F. Adjust the heat to maintain the temperature.

Carefully slip in three pieces of the chicken into the oil. Fry 90 seconds to two minutes, or until the chicken is very light golden in colour and the flour coating has set. (The chicken will finish cooking and browning in the oven, so you don't want to deeply brown it at this point.) Remove chicken from the oil, let the excess drip away, and then set on the baking rack above the pan. Fry the remaining pieces of chicken in this fashion, cooking them in three-piece batches and setting them on the baking rack as you go along. Once all fried, bake the chicken in a 375 F oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until cooked through.

To serve, set 1 or 2 waffles on each of 4 plates. Serve each waffle with 2 or 3 pieces of chicken. Serve with hot sauce and maple syrup for drizzling. If desired, also serve with butter, for spreading on the waffles. Any leftover chicken and waffles will taste great the next day, served together again or separately.

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